18TH CENTURY LIVING HISTORY, HISTORICAL TREKKING, AND LONG TERM SURVIVAL.

A LIVING HISTORY BLOG.

18TH CENTURY LIVING HISTORY IN AUSTRALIA.

Friday, 13 July 2012

Research and Primary Documentation.

Research and
Primary Documentation.

In our search
for historical information, we must be careful not to become too narrow
focused. Whilst it is true that we need to find out what a particular character
used and wore, we must not discard the possibility that this character, this
persona, could have used and wore other items that are not documented in the
written word or in period paintings.

One of the least
documented characters in the 18th century is the woodsman. A woodsman is a
woodsrunner, a person who is knowledgeable in woods lore. A woodman on the
other hand is a wood cutter, a totally different persona all together. I have
not as yet come across a painting, sketch or etching of an English or colonial
woodsman, so the best we can do is use common sense and combine that with
written documentation.

People are
continually getting confused between the difference in what was fashion and
what was common dress. The city and town gentleman or lady may well have been
concerned with fashion, but a woodsman or woods woman was not concerned with
social graces and fashion, they were concerned with survival, comfort to a
certain degree, and practicality.They
did not sit round the camp fire and judge others by their dress, though they
may on occasion expressed an interest in certain articles of dress and
equipment belonging to others, and in some circumstances given advice on the
practicality of certain items.

What we need to
do is establish what items of dress and equipment were available in our chosen
time period. Then we need to establish the practicality, or the lack of
practicality in using such an item. Just because we have not read that a
certain item was used, or have not seen a period painting of a woodsman using a
certain item, it does not mean that this particular item was not used. If an item
was commonly available, then it could have been used by anyone who considered
that item to have been of practical use to themselves.

Two examples of
this way of thinking come immediately to mind, the use of an oilcloth for
shelter, and the use of a belt pouch that in the 18th century was no longer
considered a fashionable item. The use of the oilcloth by traders and military
is well documented, yet some people still refuse to use it because they are
neither trades people or military. The same applies with the use of the belt
pouch. It too is well documented in paintings, sketches and etchings so we know
the belt pouch was available and being used as a practical item of wear for
carrying items that were not carried in pockets.

“The town
has increased one-third since the year 1745; at that time there was not a
single manufacture: the inhabitants either lived by one another, or by the
hiring out of ships, or by the salmon trade. At present the manufactures have
risen to a great pitch: for example, that of sailcloth, or ‘sailduck,’
as it is here called, is very considerable; in one house, eighty-two thousand
five hundred and sixty-six pieces have been made since 1755. Each piece is
thirty-eight yards long, and numbered from eight to one. No. eight weighs
twenty-four pounds, and every piece, down to no. one, gains three pounds in the
piece. The thread for this cloth is spun here, not by common wheel, but by the
hands. Women are employed, who have the flax placed round their wastes, twist a
thread with each hand as they recede from a wheel, turned by a boy at the end
of a great room.”

The men were so harassed and fatigued with continually
sitting and

lying on the ground, all huddled in a small compass,
that three days

before the convention took place, they complained to
the Captain who

commanded, that they were not permitted to fire on the
enemy, whereby

they could obtain more ease, and therefore ought to be
relieved, and

they received for an answer, when night came on it
should be mentioned

to the General. The Captain desired me to go to
head-quarters, and

when I arrived there, I found they partook of the
hardships in common,

for the three Generals had just laid down on their
matrasses, having

only an oil-skin to cover them from the weather; the
Aid-de Camps were

sitting round a fire. ..."

Anburey, 2, p. 8-9.

Anburey, Thomas; "Travels Through the Interior
Parts of America in a

Series of Letters by an Officer." 2 Vols. London,
1789. Houghton

Mifflin, NY 1923, Reprint, New York Times and Arno
Press, 1969.

, upon a baggage-cart, and nothing to

shelter her from the inclemency of the weather but a
bit of an old

oil-cloth, a soldier's wife was delivered of child,
she and the infant

are
both well, and are now at this place.

The Calendar and Quartermaster Books of General George
Rogers Clark's

Fort
Jefferson, Kentucky, 1780

Stores issued by order of Captain Robert George: to
Mr. Miles,

quartermaster Sergeant, one musket or smoothed gun; to
Captain Rogers

going to the Falls of Ohio, two muskets or smoothed
guns and five tents

or
oil cloths (VSA-50: 39)

"This morning an account was bro't to town, that
a large army of French

and Indians were seen at a small distance from the
German flats, but few

here believe it. Sir William Johnson is still in
readiness, with 1500 of

the militia. Every man in the French army that came
against Fort William

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Settlers.

"I noticed particularly, one family of about 12 in number. The mancarried an axe and a gun on his shoulders. The Wife, the rim of a spinningwheel in one hand, and a loaf of bread in the other. Several little boys andgirls, each with a bundle, according to their size Two poor horses, eachheavily loaded with some poor necessities. On the top of the baggage of one,was an infant rocked to sleep in a kind of wicker cage, lashed securely to thehorse. A cow formed one of the company ,and she was destined to bear herproportion of service - a bed cord was wound around her horns and a bag of mealon her back. They were not only patient, but cheerful and pleased withthemselves with the expectation of seeing happy days beyond the mountains"Diary of Presbyterian Rev. David McClure.18th century.

What is Living History?

What is Living History?Living history makes history come to life. To do this members emulate different sorts of people from history. These can include blacksmiths, seamstresses, housewives, farmers, woodsmen and woodswomen. We wear the clothes of the time and learn and use the life and trade skills of the period.What period of history does the NECLHG re-enact ?Approximately 1680-1760 on the New World Frontier.Why this period of history and why a New World lifestyle and not Australian?The New World was settled much earlier than Australia and enables us to choose from a larger variety of nationalities, occupations and skills. All of these options make the activities more fun.Australian settlement was in a later period and founded on a penal colony. There are other re-enactment groups for people interested in the Australian colonial period.Is joining NECLHG expensive?No. There are no membership fees for the group. The activity is only as expensive as you want it to be! Many members make all their own period style clothing and equipment. This is an ideal activity for people who like to make things and be creative.What if there are some items I can not make myself or I am too busy to make?You always have the option of buying or trading for items. People who want to purchase their clothing and equipment can do so; there are many specialist suppliers. Also you can trade for items you can not make .Can my family join this group?Yes we are very family oriented.What is experimental archaeology?This is the term used when someone makes and uses a period tool or item. This can be anything from lighting a fire with a flint and steel to building and sailing a ship on an original route! It is the only way to really discover how things were done “back then”.What is historical trekking?This activity is trekking and camping in an historically accurate manner. People on a historical trek wear the clothing of the period and carry and use only the equipment used in that period. These treks are a great way to learn woods lore and survival skills.What sort of “period skills” can we learn and practice?You can learn and use any skill that was used in the period you reenact. For the mid-18th century these include spinning and weaving on a loom, finger weaving, tomahawk throwing, fire lighting, blade sharpening, leather making and leather working and much, much more.Is the NECLHG a gun club?No. Some on our members may carry a period gun on treks and camps as part of their persona. These guns are flintlock muzzle-loading antique guns or copies. The highest level of safely is maintained at all times. Guns are not carried loaded and all gun carrying members are licensed.What about women members?In the 18th century women performed many traditional and non traditional roles. There were women blacksmiths, naturalists, artists, and woods-women. Some accompanied militia on scouts . In the NECLHG a women can be what ever she wants to be!What about children.?Children are always welcome. Naturally children are the responsibility of their parents. Children really enjoy the living history activities and skills. It is a wonderful way to learn history and it makes their school based history a lot more meaningful. Also children can learn bush craft, survival skills and camping skills.